


Show Me Off

by lavenderlotion



Series: Hold Me Close, Don't Let Me Go [17]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Dancing, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Jealous Stiles, M/M, assurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 05:31:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15988643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavenderlotion/pseuds/lavenderlotion
Summary: Stiles pulls back, but he doesn’t completely step out of the circle of John’s arms, where he’s still holding loosely around Stiles’ waist. He takes a deep breath and tells himself that it’s not fair to John to hold this all in.“I know you love me,” Stiles says, because he does. He will never doubt that, the way John feels about him. “But...but no one else does. I-I know why we had to hide in Beacon Hills, but we aren’t in Beacon Hills anymore, and nothing is going to happen if you kiss me at the grocery store or hold my hand through the lobby.”





	Show Me Off

Stiles loves their new neighbourhood. When Peter had shown him listings for different apartments in the area, Stiles had just picked the one closest to the school that had the lowest asking price. He wasn’t worried about the area the apartment was located in or the ratings of the building. In fact, he wasn’t worried about much of anything other than being able to live with John again.

The distance had been so hard on both of them, for those first few months, and going from living with John to living  _ without _ him had been too big of an adjustment. So when the opportunity to live together once again came up, Stiles hadn’t been concerned with...well, anything other than moving. So when they finally get settled in, he’s surprised at how much he likes the area.

The apartment itself is more than nice. Stiles will admit to not understanding all that goes into renting an apartment, but he’s pretty he sure John wouldn’t have been able to afford it, especially with him retiring and not yet having work lined up. Stiles can’t work much with the number of courses he’s taking, though he does take the occasional warding job for local supernaturals—though that doesn’t bring in my income.

The apartment Peter got for them is more than they would have been able to afford, and Stiles is endlessly grateful. On top of that, the neighbourhood is great. Everything seems to be within walking distance, and wherever they can’t walk to, the public transportation gets them where they need. Stiles has been walking everywhere—leaving Roscoe for John as he searches for work—and his legs have never looked better (which he  _ knows _ that John appreciates). 

Really, he likes everything except for their neighbours. Or neighbour. There is one specific neighbour that he hates. He hates “ _ Lisa on the fifth floor” _ with a burning passion he had previously reserved for supernatural baddies and BH High’s cafeteria meat. Stiles despises her, and if he could go back in time, he would choose a different apartment just because of her.

Lisa on the fifth floor is an amazingly nice woman. She is in her mid-forties and she’s gorgeous: pretty blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and she dresses well. She works out in the buildings' gym far more regularly than Stiles does, and she has a career (something that makes enough to rent her own apartment). She says nice things to people in the morning and always asks how they’re doing. She seems to remember things about  _ everyone _ she talks to and, once again, is gorgeous.

Unfortunately, she is also single. Single and thirsty. Thirsty for  _ John _ , if her continuous attempts at flirting are anything to go by. And Stiles hates her for it, hates how good she would be for him, how  _ appropriate _ and  _ conventional _ they would be together. He hates her, because John still hesitates when they’re in public, keeping a measured distance between them, never the first one to reach out. 

Stiles hates that John wouldn’t have to worry about any of that if he was with someone like Lisa, and he hates John, a little, because he still pulls away when they’re out together. Stiles is still the one to initiate contact when they’re anywhere but their apartment, is always the one who steps closer or twines their fingers together. 

John still...he still doesn’t seem comfortable when they’re out. There’s always too much tension in his shoulders, his eyes always just a little too aware. Stiles does his best not to let it bother him, tells himself that he just has to give John time. He knows that John was always careful in Beacon Hills, as cautious as possible because they needed to be. And he knows that it’s going to take time for him to get over that, to be comfortable showing Stiles affection in public.

He just...he just wishes it would take  _ less _ time. That John didn’t still step away when someone else got near, that he didn’t put distance between them when they were out. Stiles understands, but he wishes it were different, that John didn’t still feel like he needed to hide them away for their own safety. 

* * *

It all comes to a head when Lisa, because of course it’s fucking Lisa, corners Stiles in their apartment elevator. Well, she doesn’t exactly corner him, since all she does is happen to step into the elevator when he happens to already be inside—but she _does_ stare at him so intently it _feels_ like he’s being backed into a corner.

He smiles at her, small and strained, while her grin turns into something sharper. They make small talk for a quick moment, a pleasant exchange clouded by the distaste that Stiles feels for her. 

“So, is John seeing anyone?” she asks right as they step out on the ground floor, and she looks hopeful, her lips twisted into a slight smile. 

Stiles’ heart stops before it rackets back up, his stomach knotting until he can’t even breathe. He takes a deep breath and then another, trying to calm his racing heart and swallow down the horrible lump that has formed in his throat. Somehow he manages to stumble over his own feet, hardly stepping out of the elevator before the doors close him in again. 

He tries to answer, but the words get caught up in his throat and he can’t speak. Stumbling over his own tongue, he manages to get out some semblance of an excuse about forgetting something before turning and making a beeline for the stairs. He doesn't want to be stuck in an elevator with the way he feels. 

Stiles goes slow walking up the stairs, taking his time making it up to the seventh floor. It’s a long climb, but it gives him time to calm down. By the time he reaches his floor he feels like he can breathe, but his chest is still tight, his fingers shaking at his sides. It takes Stiles two attempts to get his keys in his door, and he rests his forehead against the cool wood before pulling it open.

“Stiles? I thought you were going out?” John’s voice calls from inside the apartment, and Stiles’ heart restricts, his throat going tight as his eyes start to burn. 

He feels ridiculous, being as emotional as he is, but Stiles can’t stop the tears that fall. Wrapping his arms around himself, he does his best to hold himself together, but it feels like he’s falling apart. He doesn’t know what hurts the most, doesn’t know just what has pushed him over the edge, but suddenly everything is  _ too much _ and Stiles can hardly breathe again. 

When John rounds the corner, his face goes from curious to concerned in a heartbeat, and he makes his way to Stiles quickly. Stiles goes willingly into John’s arms, letting his dad hold him tightly. He gets the same warm comfort that he has always gotten from hugs given by his dad, though there’s an extra layer of  _ home _ that comes from hugging  _ John _ . 

They stand like that for several quiet minutes, and Stiles revels in the fact that he’s still shorter than John, short enough that he can bend just a little and tuck his head under the man’s chin. He’s finally able to calm the anxious beat of his heart, his fingers no longer shaking now that he’s twisted them into the fabric of John’s shirt. 

“What’s wrong?” he asks, and Stiles shakes his head—unsure and uncertain and a little unwilling to admit what’s wrong, why he’s so upset. “Baby, can you please tell me why you’re so upset?” 

Stiles pulls back, but he doesn’t completely step out of the circle of John’s arms, where he’s still holding loosely around Stiles’ waist. He takes a deep breath and tells himself that it’s not fair to John to hold this all in. 

“I know you love me,” Stiles says, because he  _ does _ . He will never doubt that, the way John feels about him. “But...but no one else does. I-I know why we had to hide in Beacon Hills, but we aren’t in Beacon Hills anymore, and nothing is going to happen if you kiss me at the grocery store or hold my hand through the lobby.”

John is quiet for a few minutes, seemingly thinking over what Stiles just said, before he asks, “Is this about Lisa?”

“She asked me if you were single,” Stiles admits, ducking his head to avoid John’s eyes. He has no idea how long John as known that Stiles doesn’t like her, but he’s not surprised. “She asked me if you were single, even though she knows the both of us and she knows we live together. It feels...it feels like you’re ashamed of us, like you’re hiding us.”

John’s face, by the time Stiles stops, looks torn open. Stiles glances a chance up and his heart hurts seeing John’s own pained expression. He steps closer again, looking up into John’s eyes. 

“I understand,” Stiles continues, “and I know it’s hard to be open now that we can be. But...but you’re  _ mine _ , and I love you so much. I don’t want to feel ashamed for showing that.”

“I love you,” John says, and it sounds like a plea. Stiles takes another step closer, holds John’s face in his hands and brushes his thumbs over his stubbled jaw. 

“I know. I know,” Stiles whispers, and the press of their lips is achingly gentle. 

John makes a noise, something soft and pained, but Stiles swallows it up, swipes their tongues together as he presses closer and closer. He loses himself in the kiss, in the feel and smell and taste of John all around him. He tangles his fingers into John’s hair and tugs, moaning when John bites into his bottom lip.

Stiles pulls back breathing harshly, resting their foreheads together as they pant for air. He can’t stop the smile that pulls up his lips, nor the breathless why he says John’s name. John mumbles a few more “I love yous” before he pulls Stiles fully against him, swaying to the right then left before setting up an even rhythm. 

“Are we dancing?” Stiles asks, and it comes out breathless as he laughs.

“Of course we are,” John says, swaying them slowly back and forth as he begins to hum a tuneless sound under his breath. 

Stiles joins in, laughing along as they speed up, swaying and stepping in slow circles. Stiles rests his head on John’s shoulder as he wraps both arms around John’s neck, tangling one in the short hairs along his nape. His cheeks ache with the force of his smile, but he doesn’t even try to push it down.

* * *

It’s two days before they see Lisa again. By then, John has shown Stiles how much he loves him _many_ times, and Stiles is both worn out and pleasantly sore in all the best places. They need to go shopping; since they holed up for an entire weekend in bed and have nothing during that entire time.

They’re talking quietly together in the elevator when it opens two floors below theirs, and before Stiles even knows it’s Lisa behind the opening doors he’s tensing, readying for John to pull away from where his arm is wrapped around his shoulder.

John doesn’t pull away, and he keeps Stiles pressed into his side as he greets her with a smile. Stiles is a little ashamed of the vindictive pleasure he feels as Lisa’s face falls, but he still tucks himself tighter against John’s chest, hiding his smirk into his boyfriend’s neck when John’s hand falls to his ass and stays there. 

**Author's Note:**

> it felt SO GOOD to write for this verse again! 
> 
> also, i hate only posting once a week :(
> 
>  
> 
> [my tumblr!](https://lavender-lotion.tumblr.com/)


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